Boiling the Lobster is Key - San Diego, CA

I have been thinking about getting breast...

16 Feb 2013

I have been thinking about getting breast augmentation for several years, after I lost weight and my breasts became saggy and smaller.

I left to think about it some more and decided to go forward. It was good timing because I'm getting married in about 16 months. One of the things I was worried about was that it would be a dramatic difference and people would look at me differently (I told them I was taking a week vacation). So I gradually started stuffing my bra at work. I started off with those gel inserts from Victoria's Secret in my regular very padded bra and then I moved up to the larger inserts that you get in Lululemon's tank tops. I liked the look because it seemed proportional to my petite frame and I gave Dr. Pousti pictures of me with the padded bra to help show him my aesthetic goals. (I'm 5'4" 110 lb.) My friend and I jokingly referred to it as "boiling the lobster" (i.e. if you gradually heat up the water the lobster doesn't know it's being boiled alive (one reason I don't eat lobster...)

I went in for a second pre-op appointment the day before surgery and asked a few remaining questions. I tried on different sizes of implants in a bra they give you for that purpose. It's good to have some different shirts to try on with them.

Well work has been pretty slow for once so I booked an appointment. My surgery was yesterday morning. I was pretty out of it because I took about 40 mg of Halcyon to calm my nerves and for the amnesiac effect (I highly recommend!) I had to crush the tablets and place them under my tongue because you can't eat or drink after midnight the night before surgery, even a little sip of water to wash down a pill. It tasted nasty but you can use mouthwash to get the taste out.

During surgery, everything was fine until the end when it turned out I had an allergic reaction to a drug that the anesthesiologist used. My entire body was apparently beet red and there was a concern I'd have to go to the hospital with anaphylactic shock. But they quickly gave me IV steroids and I recovered very quickly. I didn't even know it had happened until I woke up and saw people taking my vitals and discussing it. They also called in an RX for oral steroids to make sure I didn't have another reaction. I recovered pretty quickly though. The anesthesiologist called me in the afternoon to check up on me and explain what happened. Dr. Pousti and his staff have also called me and my fiance to check on me and answer any questions.

One thing I didn't expect was the itchiness! It was all over my skin. It's a good idea to have Benadryl on hand. Some of the post-op drugs also help with the itchiness. I was exhausted and groggy yesterday and slept most of the day. My fiance was such an enormous help because especially yesterday I had a hard time getting out of bed since I had to use my arms to push myself to a seated position. He brought me water and made me smoothies I could drink out of a straw. (Bendy straws also a must!) I also have a stockpile of prunes and fiber drink mixes since constipation is a common side effect of the medication.

You should read the pre- and post-op instructions as soon as possible. They're on his website. It takes a lot of planning because you have the week off work and with no driving, no upper body workouts for 6 weeks, no laying prostrate for 3 months, and no working out your pecs for 1 year. Since I do yoga every day that pretty much eliminates certain postures out of every type of practice. I am going to switch up my workout regimen until I'm fully recovered.

I'll have to follow up later because I haven't "unveiled" them yet since I'm nervous about seeing them since I suspect they're bruised and a little scary looking now. But I can't wait to see the result. His surgical team told me he did a great job and that I would be happy with the results.

Here are some before & 3-days post-op pics!

19 Feb 2013

Here are some before & 3-days post-op pics!

More genius tips!
You have to wear a post-op...

23 Feb 2013

More genius tips!

You have to wear a post-op bra for a month after the surgery. I was having a lot of trouble scratching under the bra because the fabric is super itchy (that's why my skin is so red in the 3 day post-op pic). I called Dr. Pousti's office and they suggested wearing a camisole under the bra. Ah, sooooooo much more comfortable.

ALSO... this bra has a huge thick velcro strap that is really tough to hide under clothes. Jackets that button all the way up are good, and SCARVES are essential! I spent over an hour trying on clothes at Nordstrom Rack when I had that inspiration. Scarves are the perfect accessory to conceal the bulkiness of that area until you can transition to a regular sports bra. They're less than $10 each at the Rack. (Maybe that's why they call it the Rack...)

I'm now 8 days post-op and the pain isn't too bad as long as I don't use my upper body muscles too much. Reaching is a bad idea! Still sleeping in the upright position it's much more comfortable. Pretty much off the prescription pain meds & muscle relaxants except I am taking them at night. Bonus, I sleep like a baby for once.

Referral from a friend of a friend. I asked around for referrals and found Dr. Pousti. I was so shy and embarrassed being in his office for the first time. His staff was so sweet and were able to put me much at ease because many of them have had the surgery before as well. I even felt some of his work on that first visit. They were all very friendly and open about their experiences. Dr. Pousti also spent a great deal of time with me learning about my goals and answering a zillion questions and helping to demystify the process. My biggest aesthetic concern was maintaining a natural, professional image since I am an attorney.